Klondike Park Boat Ramp Question

Do any of you guys in the Washington area use the Klondike ramp and is it still usable in these low water conditions? New Haven ramp won't float my boat so I'm hoping to find one that isn't a days drive away that I can still use this winter. Thanks, Jack

I know that it's hard to get a big boat in the water there during low water levels. I have a 20 footer and by the time it's deep enough to get the boat off the trailer, half my truck is in the water also.

I also know that the traffic on Hwy 94 there during the weekend is ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS because of all the city folk visiting the wineries and bike trails! It litarally is a BIG PAIN IN THE BUTT!!! However, during the winter months the traffic disappears.

I use the boat ramp there in down town Washington, never had a problem putting in and always a place to park. If you're not familiar with where its at, let me know and i'll give you directions.

I also drive past the Klondike ramp everyday on my way to work, I'll check to see if anything has changed as far as ramp quality/accessability.

Thanks for the feed back Bill. Have they extended the Washington ramp in the last couple years? I checked it out two years ago when the New Haven ramp became unusable and I couldn't launch at Washinton either. I only have an 18 footer but I would have had to back my trailer tires off the end of the ramp to get it deep enough. At that time I could just see the end of the ramp although it was still under water but not enough to float me.I couldn't tell what the bottom was beyond that. Is there a dropoff at the end of the ramp? Have you put in at Washington in the last week or two? I can't imagine being able to launch a twenty foot jon there if it is the same as it was in 04. One more question, it's a wide ramp if I remember correctly, is one side any longer than the other? Seem to remember the upriver side was a bit longer than the down river side for some reason.Thanks again.

I also know that the traffic on Hwy 94 there during the weekend is ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS because of all the city folk visiting the wineries and bike trails! It litarally is a BIG PAIN IN THE BUTT!!! However, during the winter months the traffic disappears.

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Heck ,that stretch of Hwy 94 sucks even when there is no traffic!!:lol:

The washington ramp on the down river side there is a drop off...but not too bad. I would venture to say that the Washington ramp is much better than the Klondike ramp in low water conditions...just my personal opion however. There is another ramp about 7 miles north of Klondike near the Busch Wildlife area...there is a Weldon Spring Conservation Area off of Hwy 94. It's a good ramp also and I have never had a problem in low water conditions there...just a little further to drive.

During the summer, there is a catfish tournament there the last Sunday of each month April - October...I've seen ALOT of big fish come out of there!!! Unfornutely I haven't been the one weighing those big hogs in.

Give Washington a try...you can catch plenty of bait there buy the Hwy 47 bridge.

Well I'm going to try the Washington ramp this weekend but if they haven't extended it in the last couple years I don't expect to be able to launch there. The level prediction is that it will be one foot and three tenths below zero on the Washington gauge by Saturday. Tried it around that level a couple years ago and I couldn't use it. I'll wear my waders and check it out first if I can't see the end of the ramp. I've been hung up on ramps twice, once at New Haven and once at Mark Twain Lake and don't intend to ever go through that again, just not worth it.

Bill,
I went to both the Washington and the Klondike ramps today. The Klondike ramp is out of the question. There is still water over the end of the ramp but less than a foot and I waded out to the end and the drop off is deep, definitly deep enough to have your trailer sitting on the frame once you back off the ramp which you would have to do to launch. The Washington ramp is also unusable as far as I'm concerned . There is some concrete out several feet from the waters edge but it looks to me like they just dumped it in a wheel barrow full at a time and left it where it fell. There are humps and holes in the rough concrete all over the place that you would have to back over that are over a foot deep in places and if you didn't get hung up or tear up your tires, I'd say you were extremely lucky. I found one area while wading around out there that it might be possible to back up far enough but it was iffy at best and you would have to hit it just exactly right or you'd be hung up. I would not recommend trying it . Plus the river was actually up a half foot from yesterday from some rain they got up river so in a few days the situation will most likely be even worse. Anyway, went for a nice drive.....:crazy:

Wow, I was going to head there today but went down town to the Cardinals Parade with my daughter instead!! WAY TO GO CARDS!!!

I've been fishing the Mississippi alot more recently and haven't been to the Missouri at all lately. For some UNKNOWN reason, I catch bigger and more fish there! I only wish I knew why, I do everything the same but have better success on the Mississippi! ANYBODY know why that is?